Method of producing display panel

Abstract

A method of producing display panels of collectively producing a plurality of display panels each including a contour line of an outer shape, at least a section of which is curved includes a bonding process of forming a bonded substrate by bonding a pair of substrates including a plurality of thin film patterns formed on at least one substrate, a stacking process of stacking a plurality of bonded substrates and pinching and holding the plurality of stacked bonded substrates in a stacking direction using a jig, and a grinding process of collectively forming end surfaces of the plurality of display panels forming the curved contour line by collectively grinding the pair of substrates located outside the thin film pattern among stacked bonded substrates along the outer shape in a state in which the plurality of stacked bonded substrate are pinched by the jig.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of collectively producing a plurality of display panels each including a contour line of an outer shape, at least a section of which is curved, the method comprising:
 a bonding process of bonding a pair of substrates including a first substrate and a second substrate, the second substrate including a plurality of thin film patterns thereon, and forming a bonded substrate; 
 a stacking process of stacking a plurality of bonded substrates after the bonding process and pinching and holding stacked bonded substrates in a stacking direction using a jig that includes an upper plate and a lower plate; and 
 a grinding process of collectively forming end surfaces of the plurality of display panels forming the curved contour line by collectively grinding the pair of substrates located outside the thin film pattern among the stacked bonded substrates along the outer shape in a state in which the stacked bonded substrates are pinched by the jig after the stacking process, wherein 
 in the stacking process, a pair of dummy substrates having a plate surface larger than the bonded substrate are prepared, and the stacked bonded substrates are pinched by the upper plate and the lower plate of the jig with each of the dummy substrates interposed between the stacked bonded substrates and each of the upper plate and the lower plate. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of producing display panels according to  claim 1 , wherein a buffer member is interposed between two of the plurality of bonded substrates in the stacking process. 
     
     
       3. The method of producing display panels according to  claim 2 , wherein the buffer member having a water swelling property is used in the stacking process. 
     
     
       4. The method of producing display panels according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the jig further includes a first plate-shaped member having the curved contour line, a second plate-like member, and a connecting member connecting the first plate-shaped member with the second plate-shaped member, and 
 in the stacking process, in a state in which the connecting member is positioned outside the stacked bonded substrates, the first plate-shaped member is caused to overlap portions excluding portions to be ground in the grinding process in the stacked bonded substrates at a planar view, and the plurality of bonded substrates are pinched between the first plate-shaped member and the second plate-shaped member. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of producing display panels according to  claim 4 , wherein
 a groove along the curved contour line is formed in one plate surface of the second plate-shaped member of the jig, and 
 in the stacking process, the plurality of bonded substrates are pinched between the first plate-shaped member and the second plate-shaped member such that the one plate surface of the second plate-shaped member faces inward. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of producing display panels according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the first plate-shaped member of the jig has a circular shape, and 
 in the grinding process, after portions of the stacked bonded substrates are ground, a position of the jig is changed, and the stacked bonded substrates are ground again. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of producing display panels according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the first plate-shaped member of the jig has a circular shape, and 
 in the grinding process, after portions of the stacked bonded substrates are ground, the first plate-shaped member is connected with the second plate-shaped member through a member different from the connecting member while holding the stacked bonded substrates with the jig, and after the connecting member is detached, the stacked bonded substrates are ground again. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of producing display panels according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the display panel has a configuration in which a liquid crystal layer is formed on an inner surface side of the bonding substrate, 
 in the bonding process, the pair of substrates are bonded in a state in which a plurality of sealants are applied on one of the pair of substrates in a form of surrounding each of the thin film patterns, and liquid crystals serving as the liquid crystal layer are dropped, 
 the method of producing display panels further comprises a strip-shaped dicing process of dicing the bonded substrate into a plurality of strips in which the plurality of thin film patterns are arranged linearly by dividing the bonded substrate after the bonding process, and 
 in the stacking process, the plurality of bonded substrates diced in a form of the strip are pinched by the jig for each area including a single thin film pattern. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of producing display panels according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the display panel has a configuration in which a liquid crystal layer is formed on an inner surface side of the bonding substrate, 
 in the bonding process, a plurality of sealants are applied on the one substrate in a form in which each of the thin film patterns is surrounded, and portions of the sealants are divided, and the pair of substrates are bonded with the sealant interposed therebetween, 
 the method of producing display panels further comprises:
 a strip-shaped dicing process of dicing the bonded substrate into a plurality of strips in which the plurality of thin film patterns are arranged linearly by dividing the bonded substrate after the bonding process; 
 a liquid crystal injecting process of collectively injecting liquid crystals constituting the liquid crystal layer from an injection port into the inside of the sealant using the divided portions of the sealants surrounding the plurality of thin film patterns arranged linearly as the injection port; and 
 a sealing process of sealing the injection port of each of the sealants with sealing resin before the stacking process after the liquid crystal injecting process, and 
 
 in the stacking process, the plurality of bonded substrates diced in a form of the strip are pinched by the jig for each area including a single thin film pattern. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of producing display panels according to  claim 1 , wherein in the grinding process, in a state in which the stacked bonded substrates are held by the jig, a grinder comes into contact first with the pair of dummy substrates pinching the stacked bonded substrates. 
     
     
       11. A method of collectively producing a plurality of display panels each including a contour line of an outer shape, at least a section of which is curved, the method comprising:
 a bonding process of bonding a pair of substrates including a first substrate and a second substrate, the second substrate including a plurality of thin film patterns thereon, and forming a bonded substrate; 
 a stacking process of stacking a plurality of bonded substrates after the bonding process and pinching and holding the plurality of stacked bonded substrates in a stacking direction using a jig that includes an upper plate and a lower plate; and 
 a grinding process of collectively forming end surfaces of the plurality of display panels forming the curved contour line by collectively grinding the pair of substrates located outside the thin film pattern among the stacked bonded substrates along the outer shape in a state in which the stacked bonded substrates are pinched by the jig after the stacking process, wherein 
 the display panel has a configuration in which a liquid crystal layer is formed on an inner surface side of the bonding substrate, 
 in the bonding process, the pair of substrates are bonded in a state in which a plurality of sealants are applied on one of the pair of substrates in a form of surrounding each of the thin film patterns, and liquid crystals serving as the liquid crystal layer are dropped, 
 the method of producing display panels further comprises a strip-shaped dicing process of dicing the bonded substrate into a plurality of strips in which the plurality of thin film patterns are arranged linearly by dividing the bonded substrate after the bonding process, and 
 in the stacking process, the plurality of bonded substrates diced in a form of the strip are pinched by the jig for each area including a single thin film pattern.